System and method for indexing, searching and presenting technical concepts

ABSTRACT

A data processing system and method are provided to index, search and present information about defined, “fuzzy” concepts across language, chemical and product identity, composition, biological classification and legal reference. The database system and method permits the use of combinations of concepts, such as labeling, health claims and/or nutritional claims, across linguistic, scientific and legal usages. The user is able to search for concepts in a defined way across any language or means of reference. The definition of the concepts used in the database is accepted as a standard by the database system (user(s). Such standardization then permits one user to pass the results of a search to another user with common meaning, and permits value-added services, such as the capability to provide news services about changes in worldwide regulation of goods and services, i.e., changes in information applicable to the concepts of interest to specific users.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No.12/578,203, filed Oct. 13, 2009, which is a non-provisional applicationclaiming priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/104,483,filed Oct. 10, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is expresslyincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a data processing system to index,search, and present information about defined, “fuzzy” concepts acrosslanguage, chemical and product identity, composition, biologicalclassification, and legal reference. In global commerce today, adecision often requires information that the user can most easilydescribe as a concept term or combination of terms, especially intechnical areas, for example, regulatory compliance with product safetyrequirements for foodstuffs and chemicals. For example, the user mayneed to know all the requirements applicable to labeling of a product,or restrictions on health and nutritional claims for additives to afoodstuff. The database system of the present invention permits the useof a combination of concepts—labeling, health claims, nutritionalclaims—across linguistic, scientific, and legal usages. The benefit isthus for the user to be able to search for concepts in a defined wayacross any language or means of reference. Importantly, the definitionof the concepts used in the database is accepted as a standard by theuser(s) of the database system. Such standardization of definition thenpermits one user to pass the results of a search to another user withcommon meaning. In addition it permits value-added services, such as thecapability to provide news services about changes in worldwideregulation of health claims, i.e., changes in information applicable tothe concept.

Although the use of a general database including semantic relationshipsis well known in prior art, the database system of the present inventiondiscloses a method to index, search, and present information, which isnovel. The invention defines the concepts in a manner intended toprovide a standard usage among users. It applies across language andscientific nomenclature, and can be used in important global businessproblems where fuzzy questions are essential to decision-making, forexample, in the regulation of food and product safety.

The invention allows a much more precise means of defining theinformation set necessary to a decision. To be able to retrieve aclustered set of information, for example in an Internet search, throughthe use of such conceptual terms provides an extremely rapid way tosearch for and receive information within highly defined technicalareas. In addition it permits information about changes relative todefined conceptual terms to be searched and presented. Further, itpermits expert rules to control actions based on the use of the databasesystem as disclosed in the invention.

For instance, a compliance manager might want information about labelingrequirements for sodium chromate. Labeling requirements may beconsidered a conceptual term—“label”—that might include literaltranslations, such as étiquette in French or {hacek over (s)}títek inCzech, but labeling might also be associated with legal citations, suchas 21 CFR 1910.1200 or Council Directive 67/548 in the European Union.“Sodium chromate” can also be considered as a conceptual term for achemical substance that encompasses translations: Chromate de sodium,Natriumchromat, synonyms, identifiers, as well as broad chemical groupsof which sodium chromate is a member, such as Acido crómico y cromatosand Chrom (VI)-verbindungen, and Hexavalent Chromium Compounds. Anembodiment of the invention would permit the user to search for thecombination of conceptual terms and receive hyperlinks to relevantdocuments in the Intenet that would present a global view of labelingrequirements for sodium chromate. The present invention allowsinformation about these concepts to be indexed, searched, and presentedin a way that provides a comprehensive approach for the user than theState of the Art.

In another example, a beverage manufacturer might be interested ininformation about requirements for thresholds for “contaminants” in“100% fruit juice”. “Contaminants” as a concept may include nestedsub-concepts such as “dioxins”, “PCB's”, “heavy metals”,“microbiological contaminants”, “pesticide residures”, etc. Each ofthese concepts can have members that cross language, synonymousreferences, legal citation, or other technical identification. “100%fruit juice” may be considered as a set of fruits, orange, lime,cranberry, which themselves have linguistic, synonymous and othertechnical identification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

“Concept.” As used in this document a Concept is a categorization of aset of information, materials, or attributes across language,nomenclature, or regulation for which the definition is agreed upon bythe user(s) of the database system. The concept “label” once definedwithin the database system for a community of users permits benefits,such as a search for information across any language for informationabout labeling restrictions in a common way. Further, informationretrieved about “labeling” can be passed to another user in a commonway. Finally, value-added services, such as news about world-widechanges in “labeling” restrictions, become possible with much greatercertainty to support business decisions.

“Member Term.” As used in this document a Member Term can be one of achild or parent concept of a concept, a synonym, grammatical variation,translation, identifier, ingredient, and component. Attributes of aMember Term can include a URL, document name, file, hyperlink, location,remote function call, automated rule, and function.

One embodiment of the present invention is a database system that storescross-references between Concepts, Member Terms, and attributes ofMember Terms. The Concept database is comprised of the following steps:

-   -   a. Concepts are identified and added to a database;    -   b. Member Terms are identified and indexed from a        computer-readable document;    -   c. Member Terms are associated with a Concept;    -   d. A Member Term record with its associated Concept is added to        the database. A Member Term record may include one or more of of        a URL, document name, file, hyperlink, location, remote function        call, automated rule, and function the Member Terms;    -   e. The database is indexed to permit searching.

One embodiment of the database system according to the inventionincludes a search application that permits a search for a Concept or aMember Term by a user that can be a human user. The search applicationcomprises the following steps:

-   -   a. A user enters into an Internet Browser one or more of a        Concept, Member Term, or attributes of a Member Term;    -   b. A query of the database system searches for relevant        attributes of Member Terms and Concepts matching the parameters        of the query.    -   c. A response is returned to the user.

Another embodiment of the database system includes a search applicationthat permits a search for a Concept or a Member Term executed by anothersystem. The search application comprises the following steps:

-   -   a. The first system enters a network and logs in to the second        database system;    -   b. The first system passes a defined query as a request to the        second database system that includes a Concept or Member Term or        attribute of a Member Term    -   c. A query of the second database system searches for relevant        attributes of Member Terms and Concepts matching the parameters        of the query.    -   d. A response is returned by the second database system to the        first system.

Another embodiment of the database system is a presentation andformatting of information about Concepts, Member Terms, and attributesof Member Terms that allows the user a customized view of suchinformation.

The storage of member term includes one or more of a URL, document name,file, hyperlink, location, remote function call, automated rule, andfunction. The database system includes an index between concepts andmember terms. As a result, in one embodiment, a search for a conceptwill return hyperlinks to all documents in whatever language, usingwhatever synonym or relationship as described below that represent thefound member terms of a concept like “label”.

Another embodiment of the database system includes a change managementindex that stores changes in member terms and attributes of member termswithin any concept. Another embodiment of the invention is a databasesystem of concepts that includes one of a function, rule, and hyperlinkthat is executed on a query of one of a concept, combination ofconcepts, member terms, attributes of member terms, combination ofconcepts and member terms, and combination of concepts, member terms,and attributes.

Another embodiment of the database system is a search application forthe stored concepts, member terms, and attributes that returns to theuser one of all and a subset of references from the database.

Another embodiment of the database system is a presentation of theinformation to the user to permit a review of concepts.

One embodiment of a member term of a concept includes a literal synonymor identifier. An example of a concept is a “material safety datasheet”. Literal synonyms include “MSDS”, “SDS”, and “safety data sheet”.

Another embodiment of a member term of a concept includes a translation.An example of a concept includes: “label”. Member terms of this conceptinclude “etiquette” in French and {hacek over (s)}títek in Czech.

Another embodiment of a member term of a concept includes a citation orreference. An example of a concept includes the term “label” of which“21 CFR 1910.1200” and “Council Directive 67/548” in the European Unionare member terms. An embodiment of the database system permits theindexing of member terms of concepts so that a search for the memberreference, for example the member term of label in Czech, “{hacek over(s)}títek”, would return “21 CFR 1910.1200” and “Council Directive67/548”.

Another embodiment of a member term of a concept includes chemical andbiological synonyms. For example, DDT may be considered a concept.1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) ethane is a member term of thisconcept as well as para,para′-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane andp,p′-DDT. An embodiment of a chemical concept includes translated memberterms. Acetic acid is an example of a concept and Ácido acético inSpanish is a member term as would be Ättiksyra in Finnish.

Another embodiment of a member term of a concept includes the componentsand ingredients of one of a product, formulation, recipe, structure, andorganism. For instance, the concept “Soft Drink A” can include themember terms, “caffeine”, “carbonated water”, “caramel”, and “sodiumbenzoate”.

Another embodiment of a member term of a concept includes parent groupsor alternatively children of a parent group. “Sodium chromate” can alsobe considered as a conceptual term for a chemical substance. An exampleof a parent group that references this concept is hexavalent chromiumcompounds. Another example of such a parent group is Chrome VI, composéssolubles dans l'eau en Cr (non classés ailleurs). The member term canattribute a result or effect. For instance, “carcinogenic substances” isa member term of the concept “Sodium chromate”.

Another embodiment of a concept includes biological organisms, agents,or extracts. For example, a concept includes “100% fruit juice”. Memberterms include: “orange juice”, “cranberry juice”, etc.

Another embodiment of a concept includes attributes of member terms. Forinstance, “carcinogenic substances” is a member term of the concept“Sodium chromate”. “Contaminants” as a concept includes nestedsub-concepts such as “dioxins”, “PCB's”, “heavy metals”,“microbiological contaminants”, “pesticide residures”, etc. Eachsub-concept then would have its own member terms.

An embodiment of the invention includes a database system in which themember terms of a concept are indexed to find occurrences withindocuments or files. The location of the occurrence of the member term isstored within a database system.

A further embodiment indexes the member terms of a concept to includeone of a URL, hyperlink, remote function call, automated rule, andfunction associated with the member term. In this manner, the concept“label” can retrieve, for instance, all documents with any synonym,translation, relevant citation found on the Internet. The location ofthe associated information is then stored in a database.

An embodiment of the invention includes a database system in which themember terms of a concept are indexed against changes that have occurredin documents or files that have been updated since the last time that anindexing step occurred. For example, the European Union has amended itsrequirements of permitted substances used in food contact applications.In one embodiment of an index using the present invention, the conceptindexed is “Food Contact” of which its member terms include“2007/42/EC”, the principal European Directive governing food contactapplications. Amendments to 2007/42/EC, such as Directives 92/39/EEC,93/9/EEC, 95/3/EEC, 96/11/EEC, 1999/91/EC, 2001/62/EC and 2002/17/ECrepresent changes to a member term of the concept. Each amendment isadded to the membership of the concept in the database. One embodimentof the invention includes a change management index that stores changesto member terms of a concept. Such changes would include additions,deletions, and modifications. In the above example, changes to theconcept “Food Contact” would include any amendments published within theperiod of time covered by the search.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 presents one embodiment of the invention where a collection ofregulatory documents have been indexed, the user has performed a searchfor regulations applicable to “strawberry” and “Vitamin C”, and anapplication has presented the search results in a manner for ease ofinterpretation by the user. The FIG. 1 reference labels refer to thefollowing:

101. The user has agreed to use the Concept Search, here termed a“synonym search” in this embodiment.

102. The user has entered the search terms, strawberry and vitamin C.These searches are Concepts.

103. The user has selected a series of topics of interest to define thescope of the search.

104. The user has selected a series of countries of interest to definethe scope of the search.

105. The search using one embodiment of the invention has returned arecord for display by one embodiment of the presentation method of theinvention. In this case, a filter for Germany has returned a documentwhere the Member Terms belonging to the Concepts are: Erdbeere is aMember Term of the Concept, strawberry. In this case it is atranslation. L-Ascorbinsauere is a Member Term, which is a synonym ofthe Concept, vitamin C.

106. The hyperlink to the document returns a German regulationapplicable to the entered Concepts. The hyperlink is an attribute of thecombination of Member Terms.

FIG. 2 presents another embodiment of the invention in which acollection of regulatory documents have been indexed, the user hasperformed a search for regulations applicable to “sodium chromate” and“label”, and an application has presented the search results in a mannerfor ease of interpretation by the user. The FIG. 2 reference labelsrefer to the following:

201. The user has agreed to use the Concept Search, here termed a“synonym search” in this embodiment.

202. The user has entered the search terms, sodium chromate and label.These searches are Concepts.

203. The user has selected a series of topics of interest to define thescope of the search.

204. The user has selected a series of countries of interest to definethe scope of the search.

The search using one embodiment of the invention has returned a seriesof records for display by one embodiment of the presentation method ofthe invention. In this case, “carcinogenic substances” is a sub-Conceptthat is itself a Member Term of the Concept, “sodium chromate”. TheConcept, label, is also returned where “label” is itself a Member Termof the Concept, “label”, i.e., it references an explicit occurrence of aMember Term of the same name. 205 Chromic acid and its salts is a groupthat is a Member Term of the Concept, sodium chromate. 206 Similarly,Chromium Water Soluble Cr VI Compounds is a group that is a Member Termof the Concept, sodium chromate. In all of these examples, the searchhas returned hyperlinks to files that may reside on the Internet, inanother database, or which prompt another action or rule as disclosed inthe invention.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate theinvention and is not intended to be limiting. Because such modificationsof the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance ofthe invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the inventionshould be construed to include everything within the scope of theappended claims and equivalents thereof.

1. A method for presenting technical concepts in a compliance decisionassistance system, comprising the steps of: populating a conceptrelation database maintained on a network-accessible computer withconcepts, member terms and attributes of member terms, wherein theconcepts are a categorization of a set of information, materials andattributes across at least one of language, nomenclature and regulationswhich correspond to user-predetermined definitions, the member terms areassociated with at least one of the concepts, in that the member termsare at least one of a synonym, grammatical variation, translation,identifier, ingredient, component, organism, agent, extract or parent orchild concept of the concept, and attributes of member terms are atleast one of characteristics and functions associated with at least oneof the member terms, including at least one of a universal resourcelocator, a document name, a file, a hyperlink, a location, a remotefunction call, an automated rule and a function to be executed;identifying and indexing computer-readable documents relevant topredetermined user interests for inclusion in the concept relationdatabase; storing concepts, member terms and attributes of member termsidentified in the computer-readable documents in the concept relationdatabase; initiating a search query of the concept relation database toidentify responsive indexed computer-readable documents relevant todetermining compliance with a control requirement applicable to at leastone of an article, a material, a food, a biological agent, a biologicalorganism, a chemical substance, a physical property and a toxicologicalproperty by entering at least one of the concepts, the member terms andthe attributes of member terms associated with the at least one of anarticle, a material, a food, a biological agent, a biological organism,a chemical substance, a physical property and a toxicological propertyinto a search interface; searching the concept relation database usingthe entered at least one concept, member term and attribute of memberterms, wherein the search includes use of concepts, member terms andattributes of member terms identified in the concept relation databaseas being associated with the at least one concept, member term andattribute of member terms entered in the search query, includingconcepts, member terms and attributes of member terms related by aparent-child relationship; and presenting search results in ahuman-readable form identifying the indexed computer-readable documentsresponsive to the search query and providing hyperlinks selectable topermit a user to at least one of obtain additional informationassociated with the selected computer-readable document and activate apredetermined function associated with the computer-readable document,wherein the search results include hyperlinks to synonyms of memberterms and attributes of member terms associated with the concepts,member terms and attributes of member terms included in the searchquery.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting searchresults includes presenting the search results in a user-customizedpresentation view.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the stepof: accessing the network-accessible computer over a network from aseparate user computer; wherein the step of initiating the search queryis performed by passage of the search query from the separate usercomputer to the network-accessible computer, and the step of presentingsearch results in a human-readable form is performed by passage of thesearch results over the network from the network-accessible computer tothe separate user computer.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprisingthe step of: identifying and indexing at least one of changes to andreplacements for the computer-readable documents; and storing at leastone of concepts, member terms and attributes of member terms identifiedin the computer-readable documents in the concept relation database. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein the member term includes at least one ofa literal synonym and an identifier of the at least one of the conceptsin the search query.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the member termincludes a translation of at least one of the concepts in the searchquery.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the member term includes acitation to at least one of a government regulation and an industrystandard.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the member term includes atleast one of a chemical and a biological synonym.
 9. The method of claim1, wherein the member term includes at least one of a component and aningredient.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the member term includesat least one of biological organisms, agents and extracts.
 11. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the concepts includes at least onecharacteristic attribute.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein thecharacteristic attribute is at least one of a carcinogenic substance anda contaminant.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing atleast one of concepts, member terms and attributes of member termsidentified in the computer-readable documents in the concept relationdatabase includes storing at least one location of a member term in oneof the computer-readable documents in the concept relation database. 14.A system for presenting technical concepts, comprising: anetwork-accessible computer; a computer-readable media containing aconcept relation database and program for indexing, searching andpresenting the technical concepts; and a human-readable display on whichsearch results are presented, wherein the program for indexing,searching and presenting the technical concepts is configured to receivefor populating the concept relation database at least one of concepts,member terms and attributes of member terms, wherein the concepts are acategorization of a set of information, materials and attributes acrossat least one of language, nomenclature and regulations which correspondto user-predetermined definitions, the member terms are associated withat least one of the concepts, in that the member terms are at least oneof a synonym, grammatical variation, translation, identifier,ingredient, component, organism, agent, extract or parent or childconcept of the concept, and attributes of member terms are at least oneof characteristics and functions associated with at least one of themember terms, including at least one of a universal resource locator, adocument name, a file, a hyperlink, a location, a remote function call,an automated rule and a function to be executed, identify and indexcomputer-readable documents relevant to predetermined user interests forinclusion in the concept relation database, store at least one ofconcepts, member terms and attributes of member terms identified in thecomputer-readable documents in the concept relation database, receive asearch query of the concept relation database comprising at least one ofthe concepts, the member terms and the attributes of member termsentered into a search interface, execute a search of the conceptrelation database based on the received search query to identifyresponsive indexed computer-readable documents relevant to determiningcompliance with a control requirement applicable to at least one of anarticle, a material, a food, a biological agent, a biological organism,a chemical substance, a physical property and a toxicological property,wherein the search includes use of concepts, member terms and attributesof member terms identified in the concept relation database as beingassociated with the at least one concept, member term and attribute ofmember terms entered in the search query, including concepts, memberterms and attributes of member terms related by a parent-childrelationship; and present search results in a human-readable formidentifying the indexed computer-readable documents responsive to thesearch query and providing hyperlinks selectable to permit a user to atleast one of obtain additional information associated with the selectedcomputer-readable document and activate a predetermined functionassociated with the computer-readable document, wherein the searchresults include hyperlinks to synonyms of member terms and attributes ofmember terms associated with the concepts, member terms and attributesof member terms included in the search query.
 15. The system of claim14, further comprising: a separate user computer, wherein the separateuser computer is configured to pass the search query over a network tothe network-accessible computer, and the human-readable display isassociated with the separate user computer, and the network-accessiblecomputer is configured to pass the search results over the network tothe separate user computer.